A Start
by KatrinaKaiba
Summary: What seemed like a innocent note is going to change Edgeworth's life forever. Slight PxE.


He did not want to do this.

Staring at the attic door, Miles Edgeworth paused. Behind that door were secrets he did not know. That's why they were secrets to begin with. Behind that door were pieces of information his father left behind for him. In that room at the top of his childhood home were things Miles never wanted to confront.

"_What is it they say, 'ignorance is bliss'?"_ He thought. His thoughts were interrupted by an exasperated sigh behind him. He turned his head to the mastermind behind this mess. The spiky-haired puppeteer that was infamous for putting his nose where it didn't belong and dragging up memories that best stayed hidden. Miles' courtroom rival, sometimes friend, and the object of his secret affections, Phoenix Wright.

"What was that for?" He asked. The younger lawyer sighed again.

"You're thinking too much about this. Just go in." Phoenix said. Miles narrowed his eyes.

"I'm going to enter a room I haven't been in for almost 18 years. I'm going to see things and remember things that I have been blocking for all these years. Excuse me for being apprehensive." Miles retorted angrily. Phoenix just rolled his eyes.

"But they're all good memories. We already took care of the bad ones, right?" Phoenix argued. Miles turned away from Phoenix and gripped his left arm. Phoenix had a point. There should only be happy memories. Right?

He heard Phoenix shuffle beside him, as if he didn't know what to do. He finally decided to carefully place a hand onto Miles' right shoulder. "I'm here for you Edgeworth. For everything."

Miles sighed and turned the knob. He stepped in to the room. There was sunlight flooding in from the window on the opposite wall. Dust lined the room and the contents that were stored there. Boxes stood upon boxes, unopened and untouched thankfully. Miles crossed toward a tower of cardboard reading his father's messy handwriting. Phoenix shuffled along behind him staring at the multiple sizes of boxes around the room. He stole a glance at the prosecutor who seemed, again, deeply in thought. Phoenix cleared his throat to try and gently interrupt the man's thoughts. Miles shook out of his reverie.

"You okay?" Phoenix asked trying to put a hand onto the other. Miles shifted and turned away from him. Phoenix flinched back.

"I'm alright. Let's just get this over with." He said. Phoenix inwardly sighed and wondered what he did wrong.

"So what are we looking for?" Phoenix asked crossing to the opposite side of the room.

"My birth certificate. The copy von Karma had _mysteriously_ disappeared." Miles said pulling down one of the boxes. Phoenix grimaced remembering that von Karma was a touchy subject and that mentioning him would only irritate Miles more. Phoenix crossed over to a box and pulled it down.

Phoenix tried to be patient with Miles as the man sorted through his feelings and memories. He put up with the anger and the cold shoulder routine many times a day leaving Phoenix to wonder where their relationship was going. They were not romantically involved, that was certain, not with their combined commitment issues. They were cordial to each other when they needed to be, which was always outside of court. But Phoenix desperately wanted to be closer to the other man, which was a known fact to all but Miles.

Phoenix sighed flipping the cardboard flaps up. He wondered if he was secretly a masochist. He went into court knowing that Miles would humiliate him and belittle him but he still went up against the prosecutor, valuing their combined efforts to search for the truth. He just wished he was more to the prosecutor than "the guy in the cheap blue suit that broke my win record".

Phoenix's thoughts were broken by the contents of the box that were revealed upon opening it. Shoeboxes were inside the box. Phoenix lifted the lid off of the box and tried to hold in a startled gasp. Pictures upon pictures were inside the box. Phoenix lifted one and was greeted by small bundle in a bassinet. Upon closer inspection Phoenix saw the picture was of Miles. The timestamp on the bottom right corner dated the picture on 2/11/92, Miles' birth day. Flicking through more pictures showed a young Gregory Edgeworth, Miles and sometimes a woman in various activities. Pictures of the three in the park, at the zoo, in the house and outside flooded Phoenix's view. After a while the three people stopped appearing. Other subjects took prevalence; Gregory and Miles playing in the house, Miles graduating from preschool, school functions, and birthday parties. As he flipped through the boxes he found more and more pictures of just Miles or after he turned 9, the pictures depicted him and Larry. The timestamps stop just after Christmas, but Phoenix knew why that was.

Phoenix frowned. Why did the woman suddenly disappear from the photos? He assumed the lady was Miles' mother, although he could not see any resemblance between the two. Miles was a spitting image of his father Phoenix noted, only thinner and with ruffles. He scanned the pictures again when something black caught his eye. He picked it up and found it was an organizer much like the one that Miles used at investigations and in court. Phoenix went to flip through it but was snapped from his thoughts by Miles' hand.

"Ahhh!" Phoenix yelled dropping the book onto a socked foot. He put a hand to his chest, feeling the rapid beating of his chest. "You scared me! What were you trying to do give me a heart attack?" He snapped panting.

"I called you three times. It's not my fault you decided you wanted to think deeply. Did you hurt yourself?" Miles shot back. Phoenix narrowed his eyes at the insult.

"I was trying to tell you that I found it. What's that?" Miles asked pointing to the book that fell on the ground.

"I don't know. I was going to look at it when you scared me, jerk." Phoenix said picking the book up not noticing a paper falling out of it. "It was in that box with all those pictures of you. You were a cute baby by the way." Phoenix teased trying to pinch Miles' cheek. Miles blushed, swatting Phoenix's hand away. Phoenix smiled in victory and opened the book. Messy, masculine handwriting came up on the first page.

"That's my father's handwriting." Miles said peering into the book. "It seems that this was a journal of his thoughts of some sort."

"Do you want to read it?" Phoenix asked turning to look the taller man in the eyes. Miles turned away and gripped his arm. He didn't remember much about his father as he tried to bury him to the back of his mind. It make becoming a prosecutor easier, he was told. Reading his thoughts would be like looking into his soul, into his mind. Miles' wasn't sure that it was appropriate. Phoenix mentally saw the gears turning in the prosecutor's head as the other man tried to logically weigh the pros and cons of the situation. "We don't have to if you don't want to." Phoenix called. Miles looked into his friend's eyes.

"Thank you." Miles said taking the organizer and stooping to place it in the box. His eyes stopped on a photograph taken when Miles was almost one. It was a picture of his father, himself and a woman.

Phoenix examined the photo over his shoulder. "Is that your mother?" Phoenix asked. Miles glanced back at him and then to the photo.

"I don't know." Miles responded. Phoenix stood gaping at the other. "What do you mean you don't know?" Phoenix asked

"Exactly what I said, I don't know. My father never told me what happened and he never kept her picture around. I thought the subject made my father upset so I never talked about it. I assume that's my mother but it could be my nanny for all I know." The prosecutor said.

"Your grandmother?" Phoenix scratched his head.

"What?"

"Your nanny, your grandmother, this could be your grandmother?" Phoenix asked.

The prosecutor blinked at him. "No, not my grandmother! A nanny! Someone who looks after children while their parents are working. Like a…what do you Americans call it…?"

"A baby sitter?" Phoenix tried.

"Yes, but it England they are nannies or governesses. I guess my father never corrected himself." Miles muttered the final part to himself.

"Oh. But I don't think it's a nanny." Phoenix recanted.

"Do you have evidence it is?" Miles crossed his arms, tapping his index finger to his bicep.

"Do you have evidence it isn't?" Phoenix retorted placing his hands on his hips in a familiar pose to the prosecutor. It was the pose when Phoenix thought he had won the argument.

"Touché, Wright. I don't have any evidence. I only know her name was Amelia because it is on my birth certificate. And that she was 21 when I was born. But it doesn't tell me what she looked like or anything." Miles said eyes trained on the birth certificate. Phoenix shifted again uncomfortably. He spotted the fallen paper on the floor. He picked it up and handed to Miles.

"This must've fallen out when you scared me." Phoenix said. Miles smacked his arm as he took the paper.

"That was five minutes ago get over it." Miles said as he opened the paper. He scanned the information in the letter and his eyes widened.

"What's the matter?" Phoenix asked worriedly.

"He lied to me." Miles whispered. Phoenix cocked his head.

"Who lied to you?"

"Von Karma. He told me she was dead." Miles muttered.

"Who's dead?" Phoenix asked trying to press for more information.

"My mother. That was the only way he could adopt me because my mother was dead."

"But what's saying she isn't?" Phoenix demanded.

"This…letter." Miles bit out. "It was written to my father by my mother in December of 2001, before my father died."

Phoenix was speechless. "But your mother didn't live with you, correct?"

"Yes. But as I said before, my father never talked about her." Miles replied. He perused the letter again. He couldn't believe his eyes. This woman, the woman who had given birth to him, was alive.

_Could be alive,_ Miles corrected. Just because she was alive when he was nine doesn't mean she was now, in the present. Miles folded the letter and put it back into the journal, leaving it on the pictures in the box. He turned away and began to walk towards the door of the attic.

"Hold it!"Phoenix called. Miles stiffened but turned around regardless. Phoenix was standing in front of the box with an incredulous look on his face, as if he was told that Santa wasn't real.

"_In fact I think that was the face he had on when Larry spilled that secret," _Miles thought. "What Wright?" He asked wearily, wanting to leave the attic and bolt the door.

"You're not even going to find out what happened?" Phoenix asked.

"Why should I?" Miles folded his arms over his chest and tapped his finger against his forearm.

"Because she's your mother! Don't you want to know why she didn't come and get you?" He exclaimed.

"Not particularly. In fact, I don't really want to know why. I would rather go on living my life without opening that door thank you." Miles said turning around once again to leave, hoping that Phoenix would drop the touchy subjects like he always did.

"Why not? Why not just take the chance Edgeworth, isn't it bothering you?" Phoenix asked crossing over to the prosecutor. "Isn't not knowing what happened eating away at you? All these years have passed with you thinking she was dead. The opportunity has presented itself and you're going to let it go? Without even thinking about it?"

"Yes, that is exactly what is going to happen. You are going to drop this line of conversation Wright and we are not going to speak of this again. Is that clear?" Miles demanded turning to walk down the stairs without Phoenix's answer.

"What about the truth?" Phoenix inquired. Miles almost missed the step as he walked.

"You haven't found the truth of this case Edgeworth. There are loose ends. That's got to be bothering you, if I pose my argument like that. You're just going to let the truth fly away without pursuing it." Phoenix joined Miles on the stairs and turned him around to look into his eyes. "I told you I would be here for you. So let me. You don't have to do this alone Edgeworth. I'll help." Phoenix proposed.

Miles wiggled his body away from Phoenix's touch. He gripped his arm and turned his head away in thought. "What do you have to lose?" Phoenix asked. Miles' hand tightened around his elbow. What _did_ he have to lose? Miles closed his eyes and sighed.

"I know you're not good with this kind of stuff Edgeworth but I can help, really. You don't have to be alone." Phoenix said. Miles sighed once again and turned toward Phoenix.

"If I go along with this if I tell you to stop looking, that I'm finished, will you let the matter drop?" Miles asked. Phoenix nodded. Miles shook his head slightly and continued down the stairs, feeling a dead weight drop in the pit of his stomach.

Three weeks later Miles and Phoenix were standing in front of a little white house in Hartford Connecticut. The research that they conducted through the police department and child services led them to this house. Apparently, according to said research, this was where his mother lived. Miles tried to stop his hands from shaking. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. Behind that door was someone who he hadn't seen in over twenty-six years. What would he say? What would she say? Does he hate her for leaving? Can he forgive her? The thoughts clouded his mind. Phoenix nudged him in his side to break him from his thoughts.

"You aren't going to get anywhere if you just stand by the door. You want me to knock?" He asked. Miles shook his head and lifted his shaking hand to press the door bell. They stood staring at the closed door. They heard shuffling behind the door, as if someone was going to open it.

"Mom, it's the pi-oh." A young girl called, stopping short when she saw that it was not the pizza guy. The girl was a teenager, short in stature and thin. Her brown eyes were carefully surveying the men at the door.

"My mom is not home and I am not allowed to talk to strangers. So if you would kindly get off of my porch." The girl said closing the door slightly.

"Uh, we heard you call 'mom', so obviously your mother is home."Phoenix said crossing his arms. The girl looked taken aback at his statement. She fidgeted in the door way for a moment.

"Excuse me, young lady," Miles began, relaxing when the girl seemed happy that he called her a lady. "I would just like to speak to your mother for a moment. Is that alright?" He asked. The girl's eyes flickered down at the ground in thought. She then looked back up at Miles and smiled.

"Sure, let me get her." She ran inside leaving the door ajar. The two men couldn't make out what was being said inside, indicating that the girl's mother was not close to the door. There was footsteps walking toward the door and suddenly the light shone out. There was a woman in the door way that Phoenix and Miles recognized from the pictures in the attic of Miles' home. Her short brown hair streaked with grey; her blue eyes staring widely at the two men.

"It can't be." She whispered. Miles cleared his throat. There was no turning back now.

"Hello, my name is Miles Edgeworth. I am here because I believe you are my mother." He said exactly as he rehearsed. The woman nodded absently, as if she doubted the reality of the situation.

"May we come inside?" Phoenix asked, trying to break the ice. Amelia nodded opening the door and standing aside to let them in. The two walked inside the hallway admiring the tasteful décor if only to take their minds off of the awkward greeting.

"You have a nice house." Phoenix commented looking at the wallpaper.

"Thank you, ah you are?" Amelia asked. Phoenix turned to her and smiled.

"I'm Phoenix Wright; I'm a friend of Ed-of Miles." Phoenix corrected, blushing at the use of his friend's first name. Miles turned in questioning shock towards Phoenix. Amelia stepped in towards them.

"Would you like to discuss this in the living room?" She asked. Miles nodded, not trusting himself to speak. The three walked into a larger room to their right where there was a young boy playing a video game.

"Martin." Amelia called. "Sweetheart can you take that upstairs? I need to meet with someone in here."

"Sure mom," the boy murmured and left the room.

"Angela. Go upstairs." Amelia told her daughter. Angela nodded and jogged up the staircase to her left. Amelia turned to her guests and smiled.

"Please have a seat. I'm going to get some lemonade; it'll only take a moment." Amelia shuffled out of the room to the right into a kitchen area. Phoenix turned to Miles.

"You want to sit?" Phoenix asked pointed to the pale blue couch in the middle of the room. Miles gracefully crossed to it and sat down. Phoenix flopped down next to him and smiled.

"Well, at least she didn't slam the door in your face." Phoenix remarked. Miles snorted.

"I don't think she knows how to react." He said. Phoenix shrugged. Amelia reentered the room with a tray with three glasses and a few cookies on a plate.

"I'm sorry if I seem a little frazzled. I never expected you would come and find me. I didn't exactly leave on the best of terms. How's your father?" She asked sitting in an ottoman by the coffee table.

"My father died eighteen years ago. He was murdered." Miles said tersely. Amelia's eyes dropped.

"I'm sorry. I guess that's why the letters were coming back." She said. "I just figured you and your father moved away." Miles was silent, his arms crossed. Amelia looked over Miles.

"You look just like your father. I'm glad." Amelia commented.

"Why?" Miles asked face skewed in confusion.

"If you looked like me, it would've been a reminder of what was lacking in your life." Amelia said taking a sip of the lemonade. Phoenix shifted uncomfortably next to Miles but didn't say anything. Miles' finger thumped on his arm in thought. He figured he would have to blunt and come right out with his thoughts.

"Why did you leave?" He asked inwardly flinching at the sheer force of the statement. Amelia also shocked at the force started to cough on her drink. Phoenix made a move to jump up but she held a hand to still him.

"I am alright Mr. Wright I just shocked myself." She caught her breath and turned to Miles. "Are you sure you want to hear it? My reasons?" She asked. Miles nodded. Amelia took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I was only 20 when I got pregnant with you. I loved your father, I really did, but I was not ready for a child. I wanted to finish school and get a job. He was just an up-and-coming lawyer at the time. We were only married for six months as well. However our thoughts were abortion was murder and Gregory knew a lot about the system and didn't want to get involved with it. So, you were born. I thought it would be okay. The pregnancy was fine. Gregory was involved with the pre-natal care and wanted to help, we were financially stable, I didn't get sick, I watched my diet, followed the doctors instructions, everything went well." Amelia shook her head.

"Labor was painful, just like my mother said it would be. It was long but uncomplicated." She smiled at Miles. "You were perfect. You had ten toes, ten fingers, two eyes, a nose and the lungs of Pavarotti." Phoenix giggled causing Miles to glare at him. "You were healthy. Then we took you home. I was alone with you a lot; Gregory was working during the day, my parents on the other side of the country. None of my friends had children, they couldn't help. They came over sometimes but would make me do everything; they just wanted to play with the little doll. I'd go to school at night and Gregory would stay with you. Parenting came naturally to him. He would tell me often in the morning how good you were for him. I'd tell him in the evening how much of a horror you were. You'd cry for an hour at a time, you'd never nap, you didn't eat well. It was like you were a different child with him. I was beginning to feel inadequate. I hated being with you because you wouldn't stop. I was afraid to touch you, do anything for you. It started to affect my daily life. I was sad, I couldn't concentrate, and I couldn't talk to my friends because they didn't understand. Phone calls to my mother were useless because she said to suck it up and take care of you, that you were more important than my feelings. I started to hate you because if you weren't there my life wouldn't have changed. Your father and I didn't sleep together after you were born due to conflicting schedules and your needs. I felt trapped." She turned away from Miles and took a shuddering breath.

"I wanted it all to be over. I didn't want to be a mother. I needed a release. So one night, you were sleeping and I…I began to walk over to your crib. I…" She gulped and Miles saw her eyes darting about as he often did when one of his witnesses were about to confess to their crime. "I picked up a pillow and started to bring it toward your face. Maybe if you died in your sleep I could say it was SIDS and…I was so close to your face but then you opened your eyes. You looked right at me. So…trusting…so…helpless. If I put that pillow to your face…you wouldn't have been able to fight back. I dropped the pillow and began to cry. What kind of mother was I if I was going to kill my son? I needed to get away from you as fast as I could." Amelia wiped her eyes and looked at Miles who had his famous stoic stare on. "I filed for the retraction of my parental rights the next day. Gregory was angry but I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you or him. I tried to explain to him what I was feeling but he didn't listen, telling me I was being selfish and robbing you of a mother. I didn't care. We got a divorce shortly after and I moved away. I ran away from the man I loved and his son." She shifted in her seat.

"I wrote letters. At first your father ignored them but I still wrote them just the same. After a few years I found a letter in my mail box from your father. He wrote how angry he was at me for leaving you and him. He sent pictures of you like I had been asking for. You were a beautiful child. So full of life and then I realized that I had done a terrible thing. I shouldn't have been so quick to leave but there was nothing I could do." She shrugged helplessly.

"So I moved on. I married my current husband. The two children who you saw are his. I made it clear to him that I didn't want children. He shared the same sentiments and had already had a vasectomy before we married. I continued to send letters periodically and your father responded. Until one day they just stopped coming. They stated to come back 'Return to Sender' so I assumed you had moved and your father had moved on. I was upset but figured it would happen one day. I had no right anyway to the pictures and he knew that."

"What do you mean?" Phoenix asked. "You're his mother doesn't that count for something?"

"When someone signs their parental rights away they legally have no right to the child in question." Miles answered. "They have legally disowned their biological child." He added.

Amelia nodded. "Correct. My son was not mine anymore, so asking for photos was out of my rights. Gregory didn't have to give them to me. But he gave them to me all the same." She smiled slightly.

They were silent for a while. Phoenix nibbled on a cookie as he processed the information given to them. He glanced at Miles trying to see if there was any physical indication of what the man was thinking. Miles was just staring at the wallpaper deep in thought.

"That explains how von Karma was able to adopt me then. My mother didn't exist in the eyes of the law." Miles broke the silence. Amelia looked to the ground guiltily.

"I understand that what I just said is hard to digest. Your father didn't understand either but I understand why he was angry. I understand if you are angry also. You don't even have to forgive me. I messed up. I know that. I don't deserve your forgiveness. What I did was a disservice to you and all I can say is…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Amelia finally broke down crying, pulling her face into her hands as she sobbed. Phoenix glanced at Miles, knowing the man was unaccustomed to those feelings. What Miles did next surprised Phoenix. He stood and crossed over to the ottoman and knelt next to Amelia. He pulled out a lacy handkerchief and presented it to her. Amelia looked up and looked at her son with glassy blue eyes. She plucked the cloth out of Miles' hands and dabbed her eyes with it. She handed it to him and smiled. Miles smiled slightly as well.

"I can't say that I forgive you right now." He started. "However, from what you described to me, it wasn't completely your fault and you seem remorseful for your actions. I've done some horrible things to people who…care for me." Miles said trying not to glance at Phoenix. "They forgave me in time and I think it would be wrong of me not to do the same for you." Miles looked at her in the eyes.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness…Miles. I abandoned you." Amelia said. "I-"She was cut off by Miles pulling her in a hug, surprising Phoenix and Amelia. She smiled and pulled her arms around her son.

Phoenix and Miles stayed at the house for a while longer. Miles gave his business card to Amelia along with his email address for her to contact him. It was a start at least, Phoenix noted. The two got into Miles' rental car to drive back to the hotel. They were quiet, with Phoenix trying to sneak a glance at Miles time to time.

"If you have something to say Wright I suggest you do so." Miles said tersely. Phoenix blushed a bit and cleared his throat.

"I just wanted to know what you're thinking." Phoenix admitted.

"Not much of anything really. It's still trying to process in my brain." Miles said not taking his eyes off of the road.

"Oh, okay." Phoenix lapsed into silence. "Why did you hug her?" He asked turning to look at him.

Miles was silent once again. "I don't know." He confessed. "It was a bit out of character for me wasn't it? The touch-a-phobic Miles Edgeworth willingly allowing someone to touch him." He turned his head toward his partner.

"That's not what I meant!...Well, actually…it was." Phoenix said sheepishly grinning. "It's just, when I touch you; you flinch and wiggle away from me. It's…hurtful." He turned away blushing again.

Miles was surprised at the admission from Phoenix. He thought that Phoenix expected the reaction he gave. He didn't think it hurt him. He turned back towards the road and let the silence envelop them. He pulled up to the hotel and gave the keys to the valet. Phoenix started back to the doors of the hotel with Miles following him. They walked the stairs up to their shared room quietly. Miles opened the door and Phoenix crossed the threshold quickly. He was about to open the door to the bathroom when a pair of arms ghosted around his waist in an impromptu hug. Phoenix stiffened and felt the taller man's chin on his shoulder.

"I guess I would have to initiate the touching then Phoenix." Phoenix turned sharply at the falling of his name off the prosecutor's lips. He was about to say something when those same lips captured his own. They stayed in the chaste kiss for a moment or two, pulling away slowly. Phoenix looked into the grey eyes of his friend.

"What was that?" He asked. Miles smiled.

"A start." He answered leaning down to capture the defense's lips once again.

THE END


End file.
